Triumph Over Two
by evilmoose
Summary: After three years of training with water, earth, and fire bending, Aang is now ready to face the Fire Nation head on, Katara and Sokka by his side. Can he win over the fire benders? And can he win over Katara's heart? Rating may go higher.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Okay, I must let you know now this is my version of when he learns water, fire, and earth bending. I added a romantic twist into it. Again, this is just a story, not a spoiler or anything like that.

Aang: 15

Katara: 15

Sokka: 19

(Only in this story)

Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance/Humor, and some tragedy and maybe angst.

**Triumph Over Two**

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Get up and try again!"

He dodged it gracefully this time, his feet never touching the ground. The third time around was easy for him to avoid the wall of water, his powers getting stronger and stronger with every try.

Aangs' three years of practice had paid off for him, and it truly showed. Not only his muscular strength, but also the power of his mind. He had also gained a few inches over the pastfew years, and looked much more mature and ready to face the world. His eyes glowed with magnificence as he glared at his best friend and opponent, Katara. She was now a master of water bending.

"You..have gotten...much better..." She whispered loudly as she tried to catch her breath. Training Aang really took a lot out of her and Sokka, and he could tell. He slowly levitated towards the ground and smiled.

"Do you think that's enough for today?" He asked, his head tilted like a little child. Katara could see his twelve-year old self shining in his eyes, and it made her smile. She nodded.

"I think so," She replied, "lets go find Sokka and see what he's up to."

Somewhere in the midst of Aang and Katara's practice, Sokka had wondered off. Having found a group of penguins, he desperately tried to catch one. The method of pretending to sleep sounded like a good idea to him, and he found himself laying on the ice and snow waiting for some stupid penguin to waddle up to him. Katara and Aang eventually found him, and they thought it was quite the sight.

His face was somewhat distorted as he was 'sleeping', with one eye half open so as to see if a penguin would approach his sleeping self. Laying in a fetal position, his hands were at the ready to grab one around the waist. Katara giggled.

"Do you think he'll catch one?" Katara whispered to Aang as they looked over the small snow dune, Sokka still unmoving.

"It depends on if the penguin is stupid enough to believe he's sleeping," Aang commented.

"It might believe that he's dead..." Katara added.

Aang and Katara started to laugh, and the penguins looked up and scampered away, leaving a very frustrated Sokka. He jumped up from his position and saw the two peering over the snow, stifling more laughter.

"It's not THAT funny!" Sokka exclaimed, his fist in the air.

"Actually..it is," Katara said, standing up to where her whole body was visible, Aang following after her. Sokka crossed his arms in anger and turned to the side.

"Were you trying to catch the penguins?" Aang asked politely, looking at the flock of penguins who were standing at a distance from them, especially Sokka.

"Well, yeah! I thought I would make a new technique that I could pass down from generation to generation!"

Sokka's pride was so puffed up that Aang and Katara decided to pop it. It's not every day that someone sets themselves up for a snide comment that would make him mad. Katara gently nudged Aang in the shoulder and stepped forward, smiling at her older brother.

"Yeah, you're right. That's a really great technique! Now..how does it go again?" Katara asked.

Before Sokka could reply, Aang was on the ground 'asleep', with one eye open and the other one shut tight, and laying in a fetal position. Katara started to giggle as Aang shot up and started to scream 'PENGUINS!'. Sokka stomped his foot.

"Very funny. I suppose you two practiced this?" He asked sarcastically.

"You taught us everything we know!" Aang said, his smile wider than ever.

"Haha. So how did training go?" Sokka asked, trying to stay off the subject of his stupidity.

"I think Aang is ready. He knows every move, and we've gone to every nation and learned every type of bending there is. Obviously the fire bending was the harder one to learn, but he knows it all," Katara said, looking over to Aang. His eyes shone with happiness as he looked back at her, and caused her to blush. Good thing it was cold so it only looked like she had wind burn.

"Thanks Katara, I feel ready."

"I think we should go back to the South so we can see what Gran-Gran thinks. She'll definitely know if he's ready." Sokka said, looking over at Appa who was grazing on the scarce grass scattered on the land. The other two nodded.

Soon they were mounted on Appa's back, along with Mo-Mo, their lemur.

"Yip yip!" Aang shouted. Soon Appa was in the air, soaring above the ocean, heading strait for the South. It was long and tiring, but eventually they landed safely in front of the village,and the people were waiting at the entrance.

Sokka and Katara hopped off of Appa and hugged their grandmother. It had been three years since they had seen her, but it was worth the wait. Katara smiled and looked back to see Aang, who was looking back at her.

"He's ready Gran-Gran," Katara said, pointing to Aang, who dismounted Appa and stood high in front of the old woman.

"Show me what you can do," She said quietly. He nodded and started doing all that he had learned. His earth bending, water bending, fire bending, and air bending was a sight to see. Once he had finished and landed safely on the ground, the people of the village just stared. Gran-Gran was the first to speak.

"You are ready.."

* * *

Okay, so what did you think? This is my first fan fiction, and my first Avatar story. Just let me know what you think by leaving a comment, and I will greatly appreciate it. If you flame me, that's fine. I just hope Aang uses his fire bending powers against you.

Yes, this chapter is short, but the others will be long, I promise.


	2. Party For Aang

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this fic.

This chapter is pretty long too, I'm quite proud of myself! Enjoy!

Aang: 15

Katara: 17

Sokka: 19

(There, ages are fixed! )

**Triumph Over Two**

Chapter 2: Party For Aang

Aang's ears rang with excitment at Gran-Gran's words: "You are ready.."

He couldn't believe it. Three years of training had finally paid off, and now he was the avatar, protector of the world. The thought of saving the world and bringing peace to the four nations sent shivers down his spine, but it was an adventure just waiting to happen. Katara and Sokka would want to come too, he knew that. His friends were always there for him, even when he thought they would abandon him. Yet, there they were, ready to fight by his side against the fire nation.

By now the sun was high, yet it had not gotten any warmer. Aang leaned against Appa, a quiet and sincere look on his face. He was now considered a man, and there was no more time for games. He had to be ready for what was to come.

Appa then gently moved underneath him, which caused him to look up at his friend and smile. Appa looked him in the eye and groaned a little. Aang sighed.

"I guess I can still act like a kid, but when the time comes to fight, I will be ready,"

Talking to Appa always helped, even though he knew his pet could not talk back. It gave a comfort that he would not normally feel.Gazing back at the spot he was staring at before, he noticed Katara standing there, smiling.

"Appa, what is this funny feeling I have in my stomach?" He asked his pet, who only looked at him momentarily and then turned back to the grass he was eating vigorously. Of course Appa could not answer him, but it was better than talking to himself. Aang looked down at his hands.

"Hey, Aang."

An angelic voice swept through Aang's ears, causing him to turn his head quickly. There stood Katara, eyes full of happiness.

"Oh, hey Katara." He said somewhat quietly, feeling embarrassed. _How did she get up here so fast?_ _Was she listening when I was talking to Appa?_

"Why don't you come down to the village with me? We have a surprise for you...and you can bring Appa along if you like," Katara held out her hand, and Aang thankfully took it. He swiftly picked himself up and followed Katara, leaving Appa to graze.

"What kind of surprise is it?" Aang asked excitedly, looking over at Katara. She smiled and shook her head.

"You'll see."

Once they entered the village, everyone was standing there waiting for Aang. He looked at each one in the face, and stopped at Gran-Gran. She then stepped forward.

"Aang...you have grown so much over the past three years. Your skills, your strength.." She then looked to Katara and smiled, "..and your looks."

Katara blushed and Aang looked down slightly, the ground suddenly becoming interesting. There was a short silence among them before she continued.

"Our village owes you many thanks for saving us from the fire nation, and we are very proud that you, Aang, have finally achieved in learning the bending powers, and have become the avatar. Thus, we shall have a party in your name and honor."

Once she finished, the village yelled and whooped with excitement, showing Aang the decorations and the food that was prepared for him.

Slowly he gazed at each item, tears forming in his eyes. Never before had he felt more at home, hearing the clapping of the villagers, the decorations, the food...it was all so perfect. He then turned and looked at Katara, who smiled and hugged Aang.

"I hope you enjoy it. Me and Sokka put this together for you, knowing you deserved to be recognized for who you are and what you have done."

She whispered the words quietly in his ear, her arms still around him. He put his arms around her and hugged her back, a wide smile playing on his face.

"You deserve recognition too, because you've saved my life countless times, and you've saved your brothers' life and your village." He whispered back. He gently pulled out of her grip and looked her in the eyes, a smile on her face.

"Thanks, Aang."

Their faces were merely inches away from each other when Sokka decided to run in the middle of them screaming. It was just like Sokka to ruin the perfect moment. Both Katara and Aang rolled their eyes as he turned his head back and forth with extreme speed.

"Guys! I've finally improved my penguin catching!" He said with excitement, his face lit up with pride. He grabbed their arms and led them to where a flock of penguins lay in the sun, trying to warm themselves after a wonderful day of catching fish. Aang tried to pry Sokka's hand off of his wrist, but it was no use. It's almost impossible to escape from Sokka's grip when he's excited. He finally let the two go, causing them to fall back into a snow bank.

"Shh...watch and learn."

Sokka looked back at them momentarily before turning to face the penguins. He slowly stretched his arms out in front of him, and started to tip toe towards the resting flock. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he came up behind a sleeping penguin, his arms still stretched out as far as they will go. Without realizing it, Sokka stepped on a stick and caused the penguin to wake up.

"Graaah!"

He leaped forward at the bird, but it already knew Sokka was there, so the penguin toddled out of the way, and caused Sokka to go face first into the snow.

Aang and Katara burst into a fit of laughter as Sokka stood up, his face red with fury and embarrassment. He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes as he spit snow out of his mouth.

"That is really professional Sokka!" Katara said.

"Yeah! Do you think you can teach me to do that?" Aang added. Sokka balled his hands into fists and stormed off, leaving the two by themselves. Again Sokka managed to make them laugh, even without trying.

Eventually their stomachs were sore from laughing, and they fell back into the snow bank behind them. Aang put his hands behind his head as he tried to catch his breath, and Katara gently turned on her side to face Aang, her breathing quick and raspy.

"Man, Sokka sure does have a knack for making people laugh," Aang said after a few quiet moments. Katara nodded.

"He sure does...and I noticed the penguin was smarter than he was too." Katara commented, making Aang laugh. He stopped after a second or two due to the previous laughing episode.

Aang looked from the sky to Katara, who was resting her head on her arm, smiling. He smiled back, and without warning, took her hand in his.

She could feel heat rising in her face as he tightened his grip, his eyes sparkling from the sun's light. For those few minutes, the only thing that they could see was each other. The noises of the village disappeared, the cold from the snow melted away, and they were alone.

"KATARA! AANG!"

Suddenly they snapped out of their dream world and looked up the snowy hill to see Sokka standing there. He has to ruin every moment doesn't he? Aang growled lowly and hit his head against the snow.

"What?" The two responded at the same time, letting go of each other's hand quickly, hoping Sokka didn't notice.

"Gran-Gran wants you up here, now!" He yelled. Quickly they ran up the snow bank to see Gran-Gran standing there with a man beside her.

He was tall and thin, and had evidence of muscle, and was very good looking. Aang's face distorted with anger at the sight of him. He knew that with a guy like this, he didn't stand a chance with Katara.

"Katara, this is your husband-to-be, Roju. He has asked for your hand in marriage, and since you are of marrying age, I have arranged your wedding." Gran-Gran said.

At these words, Katara took one step back and placed her hand on her forehead. _This was not supposed to be! I want to pick my own husband! I lo-_

Before she could finish her thought, Roju had her hand in his, and was on one knee. She looked down at this man that was to be her husband, and then looked over to Aang.

His face was dark and his eyes had a dull grey color to them. He looked at the ground for a moment or two, and before Katara could tell him her true feelings, he shot off towards Appa. Her eyes narrowed and looked towards the village people and Gran-Gran. It had gone from a 'Thank you Aang' Party to a 'You are going to marry a man you don't know and you are going to like it' surprise. Katara stomped her foot.

"How could you do this! I want to decide for myself who will be my husband! I don't even know this man, how can I love him? I'm fifteen and I make my own decisions!"

She stood stiff, expecting someone to say something. Even Roju was stiff in his position. Taking this as an open opportunity, Katara ran off to find Aang.

"I can't believe this..."

Aang muttered to himself as he paced by Appa, a nice trench being made by his constant walking back and forth.

Hearing the shuffling of snow, he turned to see Katara running towards him. He quickly turned his head and put a hand on Appa's leg, hoping she would realize what he was doing and not come near. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to look at Katara.

"Look, Aang..what happened back there.."

She didn't have time to finish her sentence before Aang put a finger to her lips.

"I understand how your tribe is. I can't change any of it. You need to be with him, because it is what your grandmother chose, and she knows what is best for you." He said, finally taking his finger away. Before she could respond Aang was on top of Appa, ropes in hand.

"I must be off to fight the fire nation. I hope that you will be happy with your soon-to-be husband and your family-to-come."

"Aang, I want to go with you.."

"I want you to go with me too, but if your grandmother wants you to marry, you must stay here..." When Aang noticed tears streaming down Katara's face, he slid off of Appa and pulled her into a hug.

"I'll miss you Katara..." Aang whispered. Katara hugged him back and buried her face into his shoulder.

"I don't want to marry him, Aang." She muttered as he rubbed her back gently. She suddenly had an idea.

"Aang...why don't you and I leave when no one is noticing. That way you can go after the fire nation, I can be with you, and I don't have to marry that...Roju guy." She bit her lip as Aang pulled her back and looked at her, a look of sincerity on his face. She suddenly knew she made a mistake, and looked down. He lifted her chin so she looked back at him, and this time he was smiling.

"You really don't want to marry that guy, do you?" He asked. She shook her head.

"No I don't, and I have my reasons," She said. She didn't want to marry him for two reasons: One, she didn't know him at all and it made no sense to marry someone you don't know, and two she loved Aang. Of course he doesn't know that. She smiled as she thought of her little secret. He smirked.

"Am I one of the reasons?" He asked playfully. Her face turned red as she smacked him on the head.

It was as if Aang could read her thoughts, and it scared her. If his bending powers were great, maybe his mind was much stronger too, and he could hear every thought she had...when she was mad, sad, or when she was thinking about Aang. She hoped that he did not notice her reddened face and the look of shock that was also evident. She decided to try and cover the matter.

"Don't think so highly of yourself," She replied, crossing her arms and turning her back against him. He, of course, did not see the smile on her face.

"I wasn't!" Aang said as he rubbed his head.

Katara sighed and looked down at the village. Gran-Gran was talking to Roju, the little boys were sitting in a circle around Sokka as he tried to show of his 'new technique', and the other villagers were now going about their business. Aang then tapped her on the shoulder.

"We'll leave tonight and take Sokka with us," He said quietly as he walked past her. She decided to follow him to the villageWhen they were in sight, Gran-Gran stopped them in their tracks.

"Katara, how could you treat Roju that way? He's come a long way to ask for your hand in marriage!"

Katara bit her lip. She didn't want to marry Roju, and she had to tell her grandmother that...NOW.

"Gran-Gran, I can't marry him. I want to choose for myself. I want someone that I actually love and have had time to get to know." She said, her face without emotion as she looked at her grandmother. She sighed.

"Very well, Katara. Hopefully you will not be foolish, and make a wise decision." Katara's face lit up with excitement as she hugged Gran-Gran and thanked her.

"You can count on me Gran-Gran. I already have someone in mind too," She said, then added, "Why did you bring this up during Aang's party anyway?" Gran-Gran smiled.

"I don't know. He had just arrived and decided to go ahead and go through with it all. I am old and I get tired so easily, I might not have wanted to do it later." Aang and Katara fell over at her comment, but while they weren't paying attention, Gran-Gran was smiling. She thoroughly enjoyed testing Katara to see how she would respond to Roju and marriage. She already knew Katara's secret, but this confirmed it all.

"I need to leave now, I will come back to visit soon," Roju said to Gran-Gran as he disappeared behind the village. She smiled as she watched everyone go to their separate houses, and then she retired to her own.

A few moments had passed when someone knocked on her door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Gran-Gran."

The woman stood up and opened the flap to let Katara into her hut. It was quite roomy. There was a nice bed in the far corner, and next to it was a small table with a lantern sitting on top of it, the light flooding the room. On the floor was a bear skin rug, and one top of it was a rocking chair made of driftwood. It was definitely a place you could call home.

Katara sat quietly on the end of her grandmothers' bed, and waited for her to sit down.

"Now, why are you here child?" Gran-Gran asked as she made herself comfortable in her rocking chair. Katara looked from the floor to her grandmother, and shifted her eyes slightly.

"I want to know the true reason you brought Roju here."

Her grandmother stared at Katara for some time, leaving the silence of the room and the village to overcome them. The only thing that could be heard was the lapping of the waves against the ice burgs. Gran-Gran then took out a book and began to read.

Katara suddenly got frustrated, realizing that she was not going to answer her question. She quickly stood up and was almost to the door when her grandmother spoke.

"I did it to test you,"

Katara turned and looked at the old woman that was sitting in the chair. She couldn't believe it. A test? Was this some kind of joke her grandmother decided to pull? She went back and sat on the bed, waiting for her to finish.

"I knew you had feelings for the Avatar, and I wanted to see if you were strong enough to stand up for what you wanted, not what I wanted...and you passed." Gran-Gran looked up from her book and eyed Katara, who had her mouth hanging open.

"Come now, child. You didn't honestly think I was going to make you marry that man. He was just part of the act. He is an old friend of mine."

Katara still could not respond to Gran-Gran's words. Her mouth was still agape. She could not believe what her grandmother was saying to her. _A test? An old friend of hers? She wasn't going to make me marry him...even if I didn't fight against her?_ Many thoughts rushed through her head as she finally decided to speak.

"But Gran-Gran...if I didn't stand up against you...what would have happened?"

"I would have brought you and Roju into my hut and discussed it privately. I would have never made you marry him. Like I said before, Katara, that it was only a test to see how strong-willed you were. How...ready you are, for the things that are to come,"

Gran-Gran noticed the look on Katara's face, so she continued, "I know it is part of our culture to get a woman to marry at the age of fifteen or sixteen, but since I knew what you wanted to do, and it was obvious, I did not want to stand in your way."

Katara's heart leaped with joy at the thought of being able to marry someone she chose. Her grandmother had seen the signs that she liked Aang, and knew that is what she wanted. She respected her wishes. That is what she loved most about Gran-Gran. She will forget culture to make someone happy, and what her grandmother did made her very happy.

"Thank you so much, Gran-Gran. You have no idea how much this means to me," Katara said as she hugged her grandmother tightly. She hugged back gently, and let her go.

"You are welcome, my dear. Just promise me that you won't go after another man. I know that Aang is for you. I can see it."

"I promise, Gran-Gran."

"Now, go on to bed. I need to have my rest."

Katara nodded and left the hut, and quietly went to hers. Putting on her pajamas, she thought of today's events.

"Today was definitely interesting, but I know that going with Aang to beat the fire benders will be even better," Katara said to herself as she slipped in bed and turned off the light. She knew that Aang would want to leave as soon as possible, so she decided to stay awake. Quietly she gazed at the ceiling above her, thinking about the upcoming adventure.

Eventually, the sun disappeared behind the village, and everyone was in their houses sleeping...except for Aang and Katara. Though in separate houses at the moment, they knew that staying awake was the best option so they could leave once they knew everything was quiet. They would have to wake up Sokka once they had everything packed and ready to go.

Aang laid in bed, staring at the ceiling thinking about Katara. _I wonder how come she didn't want to marry him?...Why did it bother her so much?_ He turned on his side and waited for the right opportunity to leave.

He knew if he left when everyone was awake, Gran-Gran might say something against Katara and Sokka leaving with him. She would say that Katara must stay behind and help with the village, and Sokka must stay and protect the village. Though he thought Gran-Gran might not care, he did not want to take any chances. He couldn't go alone, and he didn't want to go alone.

Looking out of the nearby window, he saw the moon rising in the sky, and got up out of the bed.

_Now is the time._

* * *

So? What did you think? I'm really trying to make everything flow so it can go from one chapter to the next, and it's kinda difficult. Please go easy on me! If you want to criticize my writing, please make it to where it will help me.

Yes, the marriage thing was rushed, but Gran-Gran was only testing Katara. That is why that part was rushed in the story and rushed out.

Please leave a comment! I would be so happy!

A few thanks:

kilala63: Thank you so much!

MaddHatterAceINC: Haha in the next chapter he'll knock a few fire bender heads in. XD And I'm glad you like it!

Red Hawk K'Sani: Thanks! Oh, I'm glad you told me! I wasn't sure what age she was. I've fixed it in this chapter.

Nina Wyndia The Third: Thanks! Uhm...what was the dot dot dot for?..Just curious.

Outlawarcher: Thankyou!

Mystic-Fae: Thankyou so much! I love getting comments like this, it's what keeps me writing:gives you loads of hugs: These kinds of things are my encouragement! And I'm updating as fast as I can!..these chapters are forever long...well, for me anyway XD.

Big Harry Potter Fan: Thanks! I'm updating as fast as I can! And I love the show too. It's definitely awesome.

DynaGurl: He's my second fave after Aang. I love how stupid he can be! XD And thanks for the comment!

Princess Kairi: Thanks!

Thankyou so much guys! It means alot!


	3. Sneaking Away

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Thanks so much for the reviews guys! It really means alot to me. The longer comments are quite nice, I think. I like reading them. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the third chapter!

(By the way, after a few people told me about their age, several wanted me to keep them the same age, so Aang and Katara are both 15 in this story. Just go with it, please? I'm trying to please the readers is all.)

**Triumph Over Two**

Chapter 3: Sneaking Away

Quietly Aang wandered around the hut, grabbing anything and everything that he could fit inside his small backpack. He had even decided to bring along some extra food for Sokka, knowing that he would complain of being hungry.

MoMo hopped on Aang's shoulder, ready to leave with his owner. It was as if he knew something interesting was about to happen. Aang patted MoMo on the head.

"Come on, little guy. Let's go and see if Katara is ready,"

He threw his backpack over his shoulder, and silently left the hut, trying not to wake the other villagers.

The night was quiet and the slightly blowing wind had a chill to it. Everyone was in their beds, sleeping soundly...all but Aang and Katara. Aang looked up at the cloudless sky and sighed.

It was breathtaking. Every star that was visible to the eye was able to be seen, and the moon hung high above the village. A slight shimmer could be seen on every star, those close and far away. They seemed to be never ending. The moon gave off a ghostly glow, making the village seem as if it was dissapearing.

Then Aang began to think about the future. The fire nation was ruthless and merciless. He couldn't beat them all by himself, could he? What if he failed? What would happen then? Would the world be left in darkness for another one hundred years? He shook his head slowly and looked down at the ground.

"I am the avatar, and I will succeed."

He continued his walk towards Katara's hut, hoping that MoMo's frequent squeals and high-pitched sounds would not wake the others. It seemed much different here at night.

Reaching Katara's door, he sighed. He knew if he took Katara it could mean death for her, but she wanted to go. He couldn't just tell her to stay here...he just couldn't. Reluctantly he knocked on her door.

"I'm coming," She whispered. Moments later she opened the door and stood back to let Aang in. He liked her hut much better than his.

Two lamps stood on each side of her bed, which was covered in polar bear fur. On the floor lay another fur, and on top of it was a small couch covered with some kind of animal skin. It was warm and cozy.

"So, are you ready to go?" Katara asked Aang in a low voice, just to insure that nobody heard their constant moving around. Aang nodded.

"Yep. We just have to go and get Sokka now,"

Katara blew out her lamps and put her backpack on her shoulders, and the two slipped out of her hut. Katara gasped.

"The stars...they are so beautiful,"

Aang looked up, and then at Katara. To him standing with her and staring at the stars was much better than doing it alone. He then caught himself staring, and quickly looked back up to the black velvet sky.

"They sure are...uhm...come on, we have to get Sokka and leave now before any one gets up and notices we're gone." Aang said rather quickly, grabbing Katara's hand and dragging her to Sokka's hut.

They quietly pushed the door open, and revealed a sleeping Sokka, who was snoring and drooling all over his pillow. The two stifled a giggle.

"It's a good thing he's not trying to catch penguins," Aang whispered as they crept closer to his bed.

"Let me wake him," Katara said as she made her way to where Sokka's head lay on his pillow. He snored loudly.

"Sokka...SOKKA...WAKE...UP..." She shook his lifeless body relentlessly until he shot up out of bed and landed on the floor with a loud THUD. Aang covered his mouth so he wouldn't laugh as Sokka slowly rose up off of the floor and rubbed his eyes.

"Morning already? It felt like two hours," Aang and Katara exchanged glances.

"It has been only two or so hours," Aang said. Sokka whirled around and glared at them.

"It's not morning yet? Why did you wake me u-" Katara quickly covered his mouth, praying that nobody heard his sudden outburst.

"Me and Katara are leaving to go and find the fire benders..."

"The fire benders! I'm in! I want to kick in some fire bender heads too!" He muffled, his mouth still covered by Katara's hand.

Sokka got dressed and grabbed what he needed, which in his mind was a sack full of food, and shot out the door to where Appa lay resting. Aang and Katara followed closely behind him.

"Alright, do we have everything?" Katara asked, looking from Sokka to Aang. They both nodded.

"Good, let's go,"

The three friends mounted on Appa, and made sure that their sacks were secure. Aang climbed onto Appa's head and held tightly to the ropes. He looked back at his friends and smiled, then turned to face the endless sea.

Aang took in a deep breath. He did not know what was ahead of him, nor did Sokka or Katara. All he knew is that they were going to go head on against the fire nation, side by side. They were going to seek revenge for their loved ones, and gain their land and freedom back. Together they were unstoppable.

"Yip Yip!" Aang shouted as he cracked the ropes. Slowly Appa rose into the midnight arctic air, leaving the small village behind them. It would be just a memory...for now.

Katara leaned over the edge of the seat and stared into the deep blue water below them. Tiny waves formed and disappeared, causing her reflection to skew everywhere. Whales breached out of the water, causing ice bergs to break and sink to the bottom of the icy cold sea. It was relaxing. Suddenly she felt someone's presence beside her. She turned to see Aang, who was leaning over the back of the seat.

She turned and looked in the same direction he was, occasionally glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. She finally turned and looked at him.

"Are you okay?"

Aang jumped slightly and turned his head towards her, a slight smirk on his face. His eyes were shimmering with excitement, and his face was aglow from the light of the moon. He nodded.

"I'm fine. I was just...thinking, is all." He replied, turning his whole body so he could sit down on the seat. She followed suit.

"Oh, what about?" She asked, her head tilted slightly.

"...the airbenders." He replied sadly, looking down at his hands. Katara put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"I know it is hard to deal with, but in time that pain will go away, and you will have moved on. Even though they are gone in the flesh, they are always with you in spirit."

Katara bit her lip slightly as she looked down at him, hoping he was listening. He looked up at her and smiled.

"You're right Katara. They are always with me," He said as he gazed up at the stars.

Katara took this as an opportunity and laid her head down on his lap, curling up in a ball to stay warm. He put his arm over her and looked down.

_She has been through so much. Not only with me, but on her own. Her mother is gone, and she is the only water bender left..._

Again he raised his head to the sky and leaned back. Eventually his eyes became heavy and he drifted off into a deep sleep, followed by Katara.

Sokka turned to see the two fast asleep in each other's arms, and sighed.

"I hope that you will tell each other how you feel, before you drive me nuts," He whispered to himself as he took a bite out of a piece of fruit and stared strait ahead at the horizon. This was going to be a great adventure...for all of them.

The next morning they all woke up to a beautiful sunrise, with magnificent reds, oranges, and yellows splashed on the sky. Few clouds hovered above their heads, and there was hardly any breeze. They all sat in a circle eating breakfast, talking.

"So, where do you think the fire benders are, Aang?" Asked Sokka, who had his mouth full of food. Aang looked up from his meal.

"Well, uh...I'm not..exactly sure..." He replied, looking back down at his food. He didn't notice the frustrated look on Sokka's face.

"You have NO idea? I mean, the fire nation is pretty big and we can find them easily..." He was cut off by Aang.

"I'm not just going to go and find ANY fire bender. I want to find that one guy who has tried countless times to capture me." He said.

"That's Prince Zuko, right? Yeah, I guess you have a reason to go after him, but you have to defeat higher powers of the fire nation in order to win..."

"I know that," Aang replied, "But I need to get rid of the one who might cause problems for me. The one who might keep me from getting to those higher powers."

Sokka stared at Aang for a moment, somewhat shocked at his wisdom. "I guess you're right," He said.

"Look! It's part of the earth nation! Maybe we could stop there and stock up our supplies?" Katara suggested. It would be nice to stretch and walk around for a few minutes before getting back on the flying bison for who knows how long.

"Sounds like a good idea!" Aang said, looking over the seat at the land.

Earth benders were going this way and that, hustling and bustling. Women were getting fruit, and the men were talking of fighting and going against the fire nation, and the children played games with their pets and friends. It reminded them all so much of the water nation.

Eventually they landed in a green meadow so Appa could graze, and they headed off to find some earth benders who might want to help getting them some supplies for the rest of their journey.

"I'm hungry!" Sokka whined.

"You just ate ten minutes ago!" exclaimed Katara. He smiled.

"And your point would be?"

Aang led the two into a small little market, where there were many stands full of food. He suddenly set his eyes on a girl that looked to be Sokka's age.

"Hi! I'm Aang, this is Katara, and this is Sokka. We were wondering if we could get some supplies?"

The girl stared for a second then smiled. The earth nation was very friendly, just like the air and water nations. She nodded.

"I'm Kaia, it's nice to meet you," She said politely, "and I would be happy to let you get some supplies!"

The three looked at each other gleefully as they followed the girl to a nearby stand. She stopped and turned to face them.

"This is the best place. She sells bread, fruits, vegetables, and meat," Sokka jumped up and down.

"Did you say meat?"

They all laughed at Sokka's sudden burst of energy. Nothing can come between him and his beloved meat.

Eventually they gathered what they needed, and were ready to go.

"Hey Aang, they have a nice beach. Why don't we go there and relax for a bit?" Katara suggested. Aang shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"Why not? A beach sounds nice!"

After a few minutes of trying to push through the crowd, tripping over peoples feet and stumbling into baskets of fruits and vegetables, they finally got to the beach. They looked at each other once before they ran onto the warm, soft sand, enjoying every moment of it.

"It's so warm here!" Katara exclaimed as she dug her feet into a hill of sand, wiggling her toes so the sand would move slightly. She giggled.

"You are easily amused, you know that?" Sokka pointed out to his younger sister, who was acting like a child. She nodded.

"Yeah I am easily amused, but I think you are even more so amused by these things. You haven't even tried it yet," Katara retorted, smirking at her brother.

He snorted and put his feet in the sand, wiggling his toes. Suddenly he began to laugh and he buried his hands in the sand. Laughing even harder, he tried to cover his legs. Katara shook her head.

"See? I told you that you were even more easily amused than I am,"

"Hey Katara! Come here!"

Katara whirled around and saw Aang waving to her from the edge of the ocean. Quickly she sprinted over to him.

"What is it?" She asked. After seeing an evil smile on his face, she backed away.

"Aang, what's wrong with yo-"

Before she could finish, Aang picked her up and threw her into the water. Laughing uncontrollably, he fell into the sand and held his stomach tightly. Katara stood up and squeezed the water out of her hair.

"That wasn't very funny!" She yelled.

"Yes it was! You know it was!" Aang said, still laying on the sand. She came up out of the water and shook the water off, making them into little water droplets. Then, using her water bending powers, she flung all of the water on Aang.

"Hey!"

"Hey!" She replied, smiling and waving. He rolled his eyes.

"Ugh..I think that's enough water for one day. Are you ready to leave?" He asked. Thinking like a dog he shook all of the water off of his body, making a few of the villagers mad by getting them wet.

"I'm ready to leave, but do you think Sokka is ready to leave?"

They both turned around to see Sokka laying in the sand, his entire body buried underneath it. Without even thinking, they ran up to him, dug him out of the sand, and drug him up the hill.

"Alright guys! Let's go!" Aang said as he ran back through the crowd, his friends following him. Once he got through the traffic of people, he made his way to the meadow. But what he saw was what he had wished to not see.

Laying on the ground was Appa, tied up. His six feet were tied up with a rope, and had a huge knot in the middle. He groaned and moaned as he tried to stand up. Aang gasped.

"Appa! Are you okay?" Aang shouted as he ran towards his oversized pet.

Before he could get close enough to help his companion, a hoard of men appeared from behind a ledge that lined the meadow. Katara and Sokka yelped in surprise and backed away, not taking their eyes off of these intruders that stood ready to attack.

"Oh no..." Aang whispered as he backed up slowly, not letting his guard down. Suddenly one of them stepped forward, an evil smirk on his face.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

* * *

Yay! A cliffhanger!...a sucky cliffhanger. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it! The next chapter will be up as soon as possible. And I'm sorry it's not as long as Chapter 2. I'm trying to make this into a longer story (chapter wise), so just go with me on this! And...I apologize for the lack of fighting. Heh..it'll be in the next chapter.

By the way, I don't know if Sokka and them actually knew Prince Zuko's name, but in this story, we shall pretend! XD

Comment and tell me what you think!


	4. Fire Bender, Attack!

I'm SO sorry it took me forever to put this up guys! I had lots of school work to do, including an 8 page paper...who would want to type after that?...not me! XD So yeah, I hope you accept my apology, and to help you forgive me, here's the fourth chapter! Enjoy!

**Triumph Over Two**

Chapter 4: Fire Bender, Attack!

_Previously:_

"_Oh no..." Aang whispered as he backed up slowly, not letting his guard down. Suddenly one of them stepped forward, an evil smirk on his face._

"_Well, well, well. What do we have here?"_

* * *

Aang's ears were ringing as the foe approached him, a malevolent smile still lurking on his face. It was one of confidence, one that seemed impervious. It frightened Aang to know that he may have gotten stronger while he was lounging about on the beach with Katara and Sokka. He furrowed his brow and took a deep breath, trying to hide his apparent fear.

"What do you want Zuko?"

Aang's voice was low, yet quivering. Prince Zuko breathed out his nose and shook his head slightly.

"I'm just here to capture you. You are my only chance of having good graces with my father."

Aang crossed his arms.

"If he had wanted you back, he would have taken you back long before I ever came around," Aang replied, frustrating Prince Zuko to the point where flames were engulfing his clenched fists. Suddenly the fear that was in Aang vanished, and his confidence rose up. He held his head slightly higher.

Prince Zuko stepped forward again, this time so close to Aang's face that he could smell his horrible breath.

"Why does everyone say that? He obviously predicted that you would come around, and decided to let me catch you for him!" Zuko defended himself quite well, but anyone could see right through his lie.

"Let's see you try to catch me!"

Aang jumped in the air and leaped several yards back to distance himself from the fiery prince. He quickly turned to look at his companions, fear flashing across their faces. It was obvious now that this was a serious thing, and Aang now had to take responsibility to protect his friends from harm.

He swivelled his head back around to face Prince Zuko, his eyes set and his body unmoving. This was it, it was now or never that he defeated him.

Aang set his feet.

"Let's see what you've got, Avatar!" Prince Zuko teased. "Or are you too chicken to face me?"

Aang felt a sudden rush of anger flow through him, overcoming his whole body. His knuckles turned white from holding his fists together so tight, and his knees were locked.

Before the prince could make any more snide comments, he was flung across the field backwards. A giant gust of wind had appeared out of what seemed nowhere, but there Aang stood, hands poised in front of him, an icy cold look on his face.

As quickly as he had been flown back, Prince Zuko jumped to his feet.

"Heh..is THAT the best you've got?"

Before Aang could reply or even move, a ball of fire glided through the air and hit Aang squarely on the chest. He was suddenly thrown to the ground, and, as luck would have it, he was now unconscious. Katara and Sokka ran up to him in a state of panic, leaving their safe place.

Prince Zuko reared his head and laughed, his men following him.

"Did he honestly think that he could defeat me?" He said, then looked down at the unconscious Avatar. "Oh well, this will make an easy capture."

The prince made his way towards Aang, ready to pick him up and carry him away, when Katara jumped up and defensively stood in front of Sokka and Aang.

Prince Zuko snorted.

"As if you could protect him! I know you are in love with him and all, but you are too weak to do anything against ME."

At this point, Katara's blood was boiling. How could he say that to her? And saying that she was in lo–.

She paused in her thoughts. Could it be, that after all this time, she was slowly but surely falling in love with the avatar?

She immediately became lose and her shoulders slumped slightly, all of her muscles no longer tense.

"I am right then? You are in love with him?...and you are weak?" Prince Zuko interrupted the silence with his arrogant comments. She tensed again and looked down.

"I may be weak...and...and I may be in l-love with Aang..."Sokka gasped, but she continued. "But I will not let you take him away from me and Sokka, even if it kills me!"

She rapidly looked up, her eyes aflame with hatred. Prince Zuko started to back away as she got into some sort of unknown position. As suddenly as she had raised her head and positioned herself, she had gathered up water from the ocean and sprayed it forcefully, covering the fire bender army.

Standing there sulking was Prince Zuko, steam arising from his suit, and his hair plastered to his head. He lifted his head slightly and gave Katara a defiant look.

"You have won this time, you measly water bender, but next time you will all perish, and the Avatar shall be mine!"

In a flash the fire nation army disappeared, leaving an angry Katara, a shocked Sokka, a tied up Appa, and a badly injured Aang.

Katara whirled around in horror.

"Aang!"

She rushed over to him and dropped to her knees by his side, tears welling up in her eyes. Never before had she seen him in this bad of condition: burn marks on his arms and chest, blood slowly trickling down the side of his face, and his bottom lip swollen slightly.

Looking down at him, she began to cry.

_Prince Zuko's hit must have been powerful...he looks...dead._

She shook off the thought, and gently took his hand in hers. How she had wished she told him how she felt before all of this happened. Although she had tried to wait for the perfect opportunity, it seemed as though she passed by it without even realizing it. She squeezed his hand gently.

"I'm so sorry, Aang. I wish it didn't happen this way..." She trailed off as her tears freely fell onto the ground and Aang's clothing. Eyes shut tight, she didn't notice the pair of blue eyes staring back at her.

"Katara, what's wrong?"

It was quiet, solemn, raspy. Yet, she knew the voice the moment it left his lips. Immediately she opened her eyes to see Aang looking at her, a content look on his face.

"Aang I thought you were–"

"Dead?"

He finished the sentence for her. Her eyes became downcast, not really wanting to look him in the eye.

He gently wiped away the tears with his thumb.

"It's all okay now. I'm alive, you and Sokka are alive, and Appa's alive. That's all that matters."

She nodded, not fully comprehending what he said. Staring into his eyes always seemed to draw her in, and she seemed to forget about everything around her.

He gently shook her shoulder.

"Huh?..oh, I'm sorry. I'm just–getting over this whole thing, that's all,"

She bit her lip, hoping he would buy it. Smiling he sat up and appeared merely inches from her face.

"It's not that big of a deal. Besides, we're bound to run into him again, and it'll probably be worse–much worse."

Sokka appeared beside him.

"You are supposed to make her feel better, not give her the gloom and doom!"

Aang looked up and frowned at his friend, not really understanding that it freaked Katara out knowing they would be fighting him again.

"I wasn't! I was just letting her know the truth!"

Sokka bonked him on the head with a nearby stick.

"You are so daft," Sokka replied. Aang rubbed his head.

"Okay, whatever. Let's go before anything else happens."

Aang stood up, and took Katara's hand, helping her up to her feet as well. Soon they were walking side by side through the green pasture. Aang gasped.

"We can't leave Appa!"

He rushed back to his companions side and untied him, allowing him the freedom to finally stand on all six feet.

Aang reappeared beside his friends.

"Okay, we can go now."

"Hey, do you think we should go back to see Gran-Gran and check up on them before we head off to neverland?"

Sokka suggested as he looked over Appa, the grains of sand slowly moving due to the slight wind. Aang and Katara mounted Appa and sat beside Sokka.

"Of course we should! They aren't too far from here, and besides, it'll be nice to actually see Gran-Gran...and she can give us an official farewell?"

Katara eyed Aang, who apparently didn't hear, as he was fixing the reins on Appa's horns. Sokka sighed.

"Aang!"

He turned his head, eyes moving from one person to the other, unaware of what was going on.

"What?"

"Should we go back to see Gran-Gran? I mean, I miss her, and I would like to have an official farewell from all of them..."

Aang gave them a smile of approval.

"Of course! We might get flock for it, but it will be nice to actually say goodbye to them."

Aang yanked the reins and said the magic words, and in a matter of moments they were above the town and over the water.

Katara looked up and stared at the wide open blue sky. There were no clouds, just the warm sun shining down on them. Her thoughts were set on Aang.

_I wonder how his wounds are doing? He took a pretty hard hit, and it was as if it didn't bother him at all..._

She trailed off as she looked over to Aang, and noticed his wounds were no longer there. Her mouth dropped slightly at the sight of it. It's impossible for wounds to heal that fast...isn't it?

Eventually nightfall was upon them, and the cool air and slight wind tickled their skin. Below, the water was dark and mysterious, and above, the sky was infinite and never ending. In the middle of these two phenomenons was a giant flying bison and four passengers: Aang, Sokka, Katara, and MoMo.

MoMo was sitting quietly on top of Appa's head, ears up and alert, tail wagging back and forth ever so often. It was the first time in a while he had actually been silent.

Behind him at Appa's neck was Sokka, who stared blankly ahead at the vast ocean that lay before him. It wasn't every day that you see him sitting quietly and unmoving. The atmosphere was certainly calming.

In the back of Appa's seat lay Aang, his breathing even and a faint glow appeared around his face. Though his eyes were open, he had turned to where it looked like he was asleep. Many thoughts swirled in his head.

_Did Katara really admit that she loved me?_

He looked from the back of the seat over to Katara, who was curled up comfortably against the side of the seat, her face somewhat expressionless. Although he was knocked unconscious, he could still hear voices: Prince Zuko's teasing and mocking...and Katara's replies...

He turned over and faced the sky, gazing at the millions of stars that were scattered across the velvet sky. It was definitely a sight to see.

Soon, the three friends were sound asleep, the only noise was the wind blowing gently across the ocean and the waves crashing on rocks and icebergs.

Soon, dawn rose, and everyone was already awake, just sitting there, staring at eachother.

"Do you think Gran-Gran will be mad?"

Katara broke the silence, and her question seemed to puzzle everyone on board of Appa. It was no question that Gran-Gran would be upset, but would she actually be _angry?_ No one had an answer, so the two boys shrugged.

"You guys are a big help," Katara said, gaining two glares from her friends. She didn't notice.

MoMo began to jump up and down, pointing strait ahead. Aang jumped to his feet and ran up to where the reins sat comfortably on Appa's neck. He smiled.

"Land!"

The other two followed and gazed ahead, seeing the village right there in plain sight. Katara covered her mouth with excitement.

"We get to see everyone again!"

As they began to land, they noticed it was quiet. Too quiet. Aang slid off of Appa and carefully approached the village, everyone else behind him.

Katara suddenly broke into a run.

"Gran-Gran! We're...he–"

She stopped suddenly as she scanned over what lay before her. When the other two caught up to her, they stopped dead in their tracks and, mouth agape, stood absolutely still.

Aang was the first to speak.

"What...who..."

* * *

Haha! Another cliffie! I'm excited!

Anyway, thanks for being so patient with me guys. I will hopefully have the next chapter up much sooner than this one. And yes, I did put a little action in there...although it sucked. I must admit I'm not good with fight scenes...please forgive me.

And I did try to put a little friction between Aang and Katara. I don't want to rush into it, because then it will lose it's excitement as to when they will tell each other or what will happen between them next. I don't like rushing into that stuff...because when I read, I like it to be that way.

Thanks so much guys! Hope you liked it!


	5. Loss and Revenge

Thanks so much for these reviews guys! I was rather shocked I would get so many..seeing as I'm not the best writer in the world..and I don't have good plots either. Heh, but thanks again, and as a token of my gratitude...I give you the fifth chapter!

I don't know if that's good or not..but still. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor do I own the song "Never Alone" by Saga.

**Triumph Over Two**

Chapter 5: Loss and Revenge

_Previously:_

_She stopped suddenly as she scanned over what lay before her. When the other two caught up to her, they stopped dead in their tracks and, mouth agape, stood absolutely still._

_Aang was the first to speak._

"_What . . . who . . . "_

* * *

Shock overwhelmed them all, and as they stood there motionless, a catastrophe laying before their very eyes:

The once strong walls that surrounded the village were destroyed, only bits and pieces still stood alone, yet leaning to one side, threatening to fall over. Many of the huts were scorched, only a small twig or two jetted out of the ground. Many animals lay on the ground, slain.

Aang took in a sharp breath.

Looking around, the villagers were no where to be seen, nor heard. No laughter of the children as they played, the chatter of the women as they did their chores . . . they were gone. The three stood there, still unmoving, gazing at the horror. It couldn't be possible that they had all disappeared . . . could it?

Katara knelt down and put her face as close to the ground as she could without putting her face in the snow. A moment passed, and soon tears dropped to the ground, leaving dark circles in the soft powder.

Aang and Sokka knelt down beside her, Aang putting his hand on hers. Sokka put a loving arm around her.

"I don't know who did this, but we sure as hell will find out," Aang said, taking his hand off of hers. She looked over to him, puzzled.

Was this the Aang she knew? So vengeful, voice full of hatred? It was as if, for a fleeting moment, she thought his motive was to kill. She knew Aang better than that. She knew he would never kill, not after all they had recently been through. It was all so confusing. She looked back down and pushed those thoughts to the far reaches of her mind.

"What will we do now?"

Sokka whispered, very low. Aang shook his head, eyes closed.

"I–I'm not sure."

Suddenly his words had altered. It was now full of sorrow and fear. The thought of losing his only 'family' was a devastating thing to him. The triumph of fighting off Prince Zuko faded away, and was replaced with remorse. He felt so helpless.

A hand landed on his shoulder.

"Aang, it's hard for you, I know. It's hard on all of us . . . I–I can't begin to describe . . . "

Aang turned to see it was Katara speaking, and it was Katara who began to fall apart in Sokka's arms. It all happened so suddenly . . . without warning. Who could have done it? If Prince Zuko was with them in the heat of battle, then who was the warrior? Aang stood up and faced the sky.

The sun shone bright, the rays warming his face. He shut his eyes, and memories of the first time he met Katara, Sokka, and the rest of their village flooded into his mind.

Sokka did not warm up to him as fast as Katara did, but he was glad he befriended him. Although he did not act so brave, he had a courageous heart, one that Aang would not trade for the world. Numerous occasions flashed in front of his eyes of when Sokka would jump to his feet and take action, exemplifying that he had courage deep down inside.

Katara, on the other hand, had evident bravery and became close friends instantly. She was stubborn and sometimes bossy, but her heart was bigger than one could imagine. It was Katara who proved to the village he was the true Avatar, and that he had no intentions of hurting anyone. Instantly the village was his home, and the people, his family.

Tears stung at his eyes, but he refused to let them flow. It would not do any good to cry here, only cause more pain and sorrow, and hurt Katara and Sokka deeper. Slowly he looked from the sky to the destroyed village.

"Katara...Sokka..."

Aang's words were broken and barely above a whisper, yet his friends heard him loud and clear. They both stood quietly and faced him, their eyes set and their bodies tense; Aang clenched his fists tight and gulped hard.

"We have to find them." Were his only words. They were quiet, but full of determination. Katara and Sokka looked to each other and knew he meant business.

"Let's go,"

Sokka replied, turning to face Appa. Aang and Katara turned to face the beast, then looked to the other.

"We'll find them, right Aang?" Katara asked, a glint of hope flickering in her voice. He nodded and smiled.

"Of course we will. Trust me."

She smiled back. How could she not trust him? He was always there, no matter the situation he was in. That was just who he was, and she admired him for it. In the background was Sokka's voice:

"Are you guys coming or what?"

The two turned their heads and looked to Sokka, who had an impatient look on his face. They eyed each other, then ran off towards where Appa stood grazing the patch of grass he dug out of the snow. As quickly as they had landed, they were again in mid-air, gliding through the sky, the wind against them.

"Hey, Aang, you wanna take the reins, or should I?"

Aang glanced at Sokka who stood at Appa's neck, reins in hand. He shook his head.

"I think you should steer him this time around, Sokka. Just to change things up."

Sokka nodded in approval and smiled.

"Thanks Aang,"

"No problem," Aang waved a hand. Sokka's smile broadened.

"Yip Yip!"

Appa grunted and soared higher into the beautiful sky, the clouds now below them. Even though what their eyes had seen had been horrid, they knew they would find the villagers. Their only suspect at the moment were the fire benders, and since they had been in that direction before, there would be no difficulty in finding the ones who destroyed the village and abducted the people.

Silently Aang looked back at the village as it faded behind fog and clouds. Everything felt so far out of reach, as if in a dream; He keeps running towards it, trying to fight it off, but the farther he runs, the farther away it becomes. Running his hands through Appa's thick fur, he closed his eyes, trying to relax.

"Aang? What's on your mind?"

His eyes shot open; It was the voice of a girl, a voice so soft and meek, so full of worry. In his mind, he could envision her face so clearly: eyebrows furrowed together, eyes half-closed with sympathy, and her head slightly tilted to one side, her hair falling in her face.

He could not face her now. In his mind showing weakness at this time was pointless, although he wanted to show it. He slumped over Appa's seat further, shoulders tight against his neck. 'Katara,' He thought, 'I am trying to figure out why you are worrying about me...after all that's happened.'

In a moment's time he felt the presence of another beside him. He jolted only a little, then relaxed. Looking over, he saw Katara in the same position as he, only looking out to the side. A faint smile creeped across his face.

'Just knowing that Katara is here is soothing,' Aang thought to himself, turning back to face the clouds behind them. Instantly all of his fears disappeared, and he knew now he was not alone, never had been, and never will be.

In the midst of the tranquility, Katara began to sing. It first started out low, almost like a hum, then the faint noise grew and transformed into words:

You're confused and desperate  
And there's no help in sight  
They've got you going round in circles  
They've got you running for your life  
All your cries for help  
Have fallen on their fears

Aang looked over to Katara, who's eyes were closed as she sang, apparently not even noticing she was singing aloud. Dumbfounded he looked back to see Sokka staring too. Seeing the look on his face said that he had never heard her sing before either. They both turned their attention back to her, she not even noticing the two.

They're lost inside the system  
The things are not what they appear  
(Don't give in)  
Close your eyes and make a wish (Just don't give in)  
I don't know if you know this  
You were never alone, never without me

Aang smiled. For the first time in a while, he realized that she and Sokka were always there. No matter what danger he was in, they were standing behind him. They always had his back, even when he told them it was not safe. He sighed with contentment as he listened.

Don't have to take it anymore  
Never alone It might be thunder and lightning  
Just another storm  
You were never alone, never without me  
Don't have to take this anymore  
Never alone, I'm coming out of the shadows

Sokka gazed at the back of Appa's seat, where Katara and Aang had made themselves comfortable. Eyeing Aang, he noticed that he is staring at Katara, a smile on his face. 'I knew it, I knew I was right!' Sokka said to himself, pleased that his guess had been correct after all.

Suddenly his mouth dropped. 'She's singing this song to him...isn't she?' Inside he felt warm and joyful for his sister, knowing she had found someone she could trust and lean on for protection and comfort. A sigh emitting from his lips, he discreetly turned back around and faced forward, the smile still plastered on his face.

To chase the demons from your door  
Your running out of answers  
And your back's against the wall  
You're asking for directions  
And no one hears your call  
You were never alone, never with me

Don't have to take it anymore  
Never alone, I'm coming out of the shadows  
To chase the demons from your door  
Never alone  
(with or without me)

Eventually, her words became mere hums once again, and had disappeared into small whispers. Aang continued to look at her, hand under chin, a small shimmer of happiness evident in the sparkle of his eye.

"Katara, that was beautiful."

She turned around suddenly, and, turning as red as a tomato, she covered her face. She hadn't realized that she had been singing aloud, and Aang was sitting right there beside her. A finger gently pushed her hands from her face.

"Don't be embarrassed. I really enjoyed listening to you sing." Aang commented. It was now his turn to blush. She smiled and folded her hands in her lap gently.

"Half of me wanted you to hear it, and the other half...didn't. But I guess one overpowered the other," She said.

"Well, I'm glad that half did," He replied. "It gave me comfort and hope."

"It did?"

"Yeah...and I want to thank you for that."

She turned red once again as the look on his face was quite endearing. His eyes were half open, a smirk on his face, the sun making his skin glow...

'Snap out of it Katara!' Mentally she kicked herself for thinking those thoughts, but gave him a reply.

"You're welcome, Aang. I'm glad I was able to help."

Meanwhile a very smug Sokka sat at the helm, a content look on his face.

With the fire nation, things were not going as well as they could be. Prince Zuko stood stiff as a board, unwilling to move as a figure circled him several times, grunts and huffs emitting from the man's lips as he observed the young warrior.

"Pathetic! Absolutely pathetic! You let him get away...AGAIN?"

Prince Zuko flinched, but stood his ground. The man laughed heartily, his whole body shaking. Noticing Zuko's unwillingness to be afraid, the man came mere inches from his face.

"This will not happen again, will it? Because if it does, then you will not only be banished from your father, but you will be banished from here, and you will wander alone for the rest of your miserable life." He hissed in Zuko's face, spit flying out at every word. He then continued: "I thought that by catching those pitiful villagers you might have a good chance."

Prince Zuko nodded.

"It will not happen again, Commander Zhao." He said, his voice not faltering. The man huffed.

"It had better not."

Prince Zuko glared at him for a second or two, then turned about and walked out the door, a blank look on his face.

"A pleasant visit, I'm sure?"

It was Uncle Iroh, who was jogging behind Zuko at a somewhat quick pace. Zuko stopped walking and faced his uncle. His eyes were glazed over, his lips were pursed, and his face was strait. Uncle Iroh eyed him up and down questioningly.

"What happened in there?"

"He told me that if I don't catch the Avatar, then I will be banished a second time," Zuko replied, tone flat. Uncle Iroh shrugged his shoulders.

"He'll be coming shortly, I'm sure. After all, the villagers are in the ship, are they not," He said. Prince Zuko gave him a quizzical look.

"Yeah...I guess you're right."

"Good. Now I can have some Ginseng Tea." The look on his face was that of a happy cat. Prince Zuko fell over.

"Why do you have to have your tea?"

"If I don't, then I won't be of much use capturing the Avatar," Zuko sighed with frustration.

"Fine! Have your stupid tea, and then we must board the ship and sail out to where the Avatar can see us." Prince Zuko ordered, a finger pointed towards his ship. Uncle Iroh nodded.

"Very well," He said calmly. "But I must ask you why you are joining forces with Commander Zhao." Zuko eyed him.

"Why? Because I don't have that great of a chance of catching the Avatar, and I need backup...and you remember the last times I've tried to capture him and failed." Zuko replied.

"Quite clearly," Iroh closed his eyes and opened one to show his remembrance of when Prince Zuko had failed to catch the Avatar. Zuko crossed his arms in defiance.

"I never saw you trying to catch him," Zuko argued, his voice somewhat low. Uncle Iroh agreed.

"That, I know. But what do you expect an old man to do? Jump around in the air, hoping to not throw out his back?"

"Then why do you need your tea if you are worried about your back..." He noticed his Uncle was prepared with an answer, so he added quickly: "Don't answer that. Just finish your stupid tea so we can be on our way."

Uncle Iroh stood up, rather slowly, and handed the teacup to a nearby fire nation warrior.

"Let us be off now, then. We don't have much time."

And with that they boarded the ship and departed from the port, leaving a confused warrior holding a teacup.

Not too far from where Prince Zuko lay awaiting their arrival, Sokka, Katara, and Aang sat in silence. It was an uneasy silence, and Aang moved uncomfortably in his seat. Anticipation had begun to sink in, and reality hit them that this was no game. Lives were at stake, both the villagers and theirs. Aang looked over Appa to see the fire nation below them.

"Aang, I just want to let you know that we are going to stay by your side. It's not just your battle." Sokka broke the silence, shaking Aang out of his daze. Sighing, he looked to his friends.

A smile could be seen on their faces, though their eyes were full of fear. Neither he nor his companions knew what was ahead for them, and they were afraid. Aang mimicked them, showing a toothy smile. It was for their sake that he had to do what he was about to do.

"Thanks guys. I know I can count on you." Aang said softly, trying once again to hold back the tears.

"We're always here for you," Katara said, putting her hand on his arm. Covering his hand with hers, he looked into her eyes.

"And I'm always here for you," He whispered, a twinkling in his eye. She blushed as she looked intensely into his eyes, then down at his lips, which were curved into a small smile.

"Thank you..." Was all she could mutter without her voice hinting any embarassment.

"Uh...guys? I hate to break up your moment, but we have a problem!"

They instantly rushed to the edge of the seat, and looked over to see a fire nation ship floating almost directly below them. It's size indicated who the captain of that ship was, and it sent chills down their spines.

"Prince Zuko." Was all Katara could say as her eyes were wide with anxiety and fear.

"How could it be...?" Aang trailed off as he stared in awe.

"There must be someone else working with him. That's the only way this could have happened," Sokka said, he also staring at the ship below.

Aang turned and faced the other direction, eyes narrowed and lips tight. Sokka and Katara turned and looked at him, yet did not say a word. They knew he was about to say something, and decided that it would be best to stay quiet.

"Katara, Sokka, this is a matter of life and death. We lose, we all die. For the village's sake we must fight for them, even if it costs us our lives...my life." His voice suddenly changed to a lower tone, but it never wavered.

"Our lives, Aang. Our lives. Not just yours." Katara responded, taking a step towards his back. He turned his head and saw both of them, looks of determination on their faces. He nodded.

"Our lives."

Without warning Katara embraced Aang, causing him to redden furiously. Her hair gently tickled his face and neck, and her cheek was against his. Cautiously he wrapped his arms around her lower back.

"Just promise me, Aang, that you will let us fight with you. I want to fight..by your side." She whispered it softly in his ear. Slowly she tightened her grip around his neck. He smiled.

"I promise. I need you there to fight with me. Without you...I wouldn't have made it this far." He whispered back, barely audible so only she could hear.

Noticing that Sokka wasn't watching them she pecked Aang on the cheek and released him from her embrace, leaving him stunned. How she makes him feel this way was a mystery to him, but him alone. Sokka stood in the corner looking bored, but on the inside he was excited for them both.

'They better not get too carried away though...' He thought, rolling his eyes.

"Let's go." Aang said as he took hold of the abandoned reins on Appa's head. He looked down at the ship, his entire body shaking. As he thought about saving the villagers and hopefully destroying Zuko, he finally straitened up and took a deep breath.

"Yip Yip!"

* * *

Alright! Hope that was good enough for you! It was...well, much much longer than my other chapters. I just thought I would put a little bit of the fire nations' point of view. Mix things up a bit, y'know?

I hope you guys liked it! Chapter 6 will be up soon...I hope! ;


	6. An Epic Battle

Oh wow! It's been since last year that I've updated! I guess because I lost my email and the password...XD But I hope you will forgive me by me giving you the sixth chapter! Please review and enjoy!

By the way, I've been trying to improve my writing so let me know what you think!

**And just as a warning, this chapter is what the title says. It is a battle scene. It will have a few cute fluffy parts, but for the most part it has to do with saving people and fighting. It will be good though, I promise!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any characters. So there.

**TRIUMPH OVER TWO**

Chapter 6: The Epic Battle

_Previously:_

"_Let's go." Aang said as he took hold of the abandoned reins on Appa's head. He looked down at the ship, his entire body shaking. As he thought about saving the villagers and hopefully destroying Zuko, he finally straitened up and took a deep breath._

"_Yip Yip!"_

* * *

Appa soared below the clouds, revealing their position to the fire benders below. It took several revolutions before they saw them. When Zuko spotted the flying bison above their boat, he pointed a finger and screamed, "There they are! Don't let them escape!"

"Aang, we can't just fly down there above their ship, what if they have weapons and hurt Appa?" Katara asked, her voice shaking. Aang knew she was scared, and so was he, but he could not allow that to stop them. He gave her a reassuring smile and gripped her shoulder gently.

"It's a chance we have to take Katara. It's the only way for you two to get close enough." Aang replied, yelling over the high winds that rushed past them as Appa dove down closer towards the ocean.

"Okay, Aang...I trust you." Katara said, defeated. He took his hand off of her shoulder as he slipped past her and looked over the edge to see the boat a mere forty feet below them.

Appa lowered himself beside the ship, andfire benders beganleaning over the sides to try and reach them with their hand weapons. Sokka laughed in their face.

"You think that those would actually reach us? That's funny!" Sokka tried to control his laughter, but could not.

Without warning, a fiery spear flew past Sokka's head, barely missing the top of his head. He yelped, his face turning a ghostly pale. The fire bender had his turn to laugh as Sokka fell over, completely knocked out.

"Let's see you do that, water bender!" The man yelled, a Cheshire grin on his face. Aang grew angry as they jeered and taunted them, and pointing at the passed out Sokka on the seat of Appa's saddle. With clenched fists he jumped and landed on the ship, much to Katara's disdain.

"Aang! You'll get yourself killed! Come back!" She demanded, stomping her foot. Aang did not even look at her this time.

"Katara...I have to do this. This is my fate."

Katara looked on with a sad expression on her face; that of helplessness. She could no longer reach Aang with her voice, for he had his mind set on this one thing, and nothing she said would make him change his mind.

_Aang...please...please be careful. I...I..._

She began to cry as she sat beside her brother. Aang was ready and set to fight, even if it meant losing his life to save the ones he cared about. But she was not ready for him to lose his life, not yet. For she had yet to tell him how she felt.

When she looked up, through her blurred vision from the tears, she saw Aang standing before Zuko's men with a set look on his face. All she could do right now was watch.

"So, you want to play games do ya? Well lets see you play this!"

Fire benders were defying gravity as their feet were taken out from under them, sending them reeling backwards and hitting a nearby wall of the ship. Aang stood in his position long enough to assure that they were indeed down for the count.

"Well, that was easy. One more to go," Aang grunted with a sigh as he hopped up to the captain's quarters, the wheel being held by none other than Zuko himself. He chuckled in a rather menacing way.

"So, you got this far, did you? Well, take one more step and those precious villagers of yours will be killed." Zuko warned, his voice low. Aang looked at him warily, taking in deep breaths. What was he to do now? He could no longer rush for Zuko, or he would end up being the executor of the people that he came to save.

_How come it has to be this way? How come Zuko has to be...smart?_

Little to Aang's knowledge, Katara had boarded the ship after the coast was clear. Zuko's men lay against the wall, their heads limp and no longer feeling egotistical about their power. Katara snuffed at them and searched for a way to get down to the lower level of the boat.

"What do you plan to do with me?" Aang asked Zuko, who was happily controlling the ship, a hum escaping his smirking lips. Zuko turned his head and scowled at the air-bender.

"What do I plan to do with you? The thing that I have been planning to do ever since I had begun to chase you. Give you over to my father so I can earn my name back! After he has you, I have no knowledge of what he might do to you."

The smirk grew evermore wide and more sinister as his thoughts turned to what his father would do to Aang after he had him in his hands. Aang growled and held his hands tight against his body.

"What makes you think you can hand me over to him _that_ easily?" He sneered, feet leaving the ground. Zuko scoffed.

"What makes you think I can't?"

Aang levitated out of the door saying, "I dunno, maybe because you _still_ haven't caught me, and I've been standing in front of you for at least five minutes!"

Zuko grew angry, fire spurting from his white-knuckled fists. The avatar was teasing him, making him look like a complete fool, though he had not yet realized that he caused it himself. Mentally he cursed his stupidity.

"I'll get you Avatar!" With that declaration and the shake of his fist he ran out the door and onto the deck, where Aang hovered lazily, one hand under his chin.

"Really?" He said with a playful tone in his voice. Zuko took the playful tone for a taunt, and charged at him with full force.

* * *

On the lowerdeck of the ship, Katara was searching for her tribe. When she opened a door, she weakly called out their name, only to be driven away by a fire soldier. After knocking them out, she figured it would be best to find a jail cell instead.

"Everyone, I hope you are all okay," She whispered to herself in the dismal hallway. Her hand was becoming difficult to see, although it was right in front of her face. After walking a little longer and finding nothing, she became aggravated. "Come on...where are you?"

In her anger and frustration, she screamed; Fire nation soldiers scrambled about from every which way, leaving her surrounded and scared. How was she to get to her people now, with Aang fighting Zuko?

_Aang...where are you?_

* * *

Aang was dodging fire fists left and right, avoiding Zuko's desire to burn him. He dodged his right hook and left, and then Aang came in with his own, knocking Zuko to the ground. While he was down, Aang kicked him once in the side for good measure, giving the prince great pain.

"So, you like to play dirty, huh?" Zuko said through gritted teeth, holding his side as if hoping to cease the pain. Aang laughed.

"I'm not playing dirty. I'm playing fair. According to your rules, of course." Aang replied, standing tall over the fallen fire-bender. Zuko grunted.

"I have no rules!"

With the swipe of his leg, Aang was off of his feet and now Zuko was standing above him. Now he knew what it felt like to be overcome. Aang tried his best to stand, but Zuko placed a black-booted foot atop of his chest.

He kneeled over and rested on his knee, smiling wryly at Aang, who struggled beneath his weight.

"Avatar, you may have the power to defeat me, but today it seems that you are lacking something," Zuko tapped his chin in a mocking manner, as if thinking of what could possibly be missing. Aang narrowed his eyes, wondering what Prince Zuko had up his short sleeve.

Behind them they heard a noise; the sound of a girl struggling to escape. Aang turned his head to see Katara. She was chained at the wrists and ankles, the fire-nation soldiers carrying her roughly before Prince Zuko. Her left eye was swollen.

"Don't let them take you, Aang!" She pleaded with him, her one good eye shimmering with tears. Aang became enraged and whipped his head back towards the chuckling boy above him.

"I won't let him take me. And he won't take you either!" He shoved Zuko's foot off of his chest and catapulted him back against a nearby door, leaving him unconscious. Aang turned his attention on Katara, and broke all of her chains with great ease.

He grabbed her hand and began to run. "We need to get back to Appa," He said between breaths, his body shaking from exhaustion. Katara squeezed his hand as if to say, "It's okay Aang, we'll make it."

But it was too late; with a spurt of blood Aang was on the ground, holding his side. Zuko approached him, a wicked smile plastered on his scarred face and a sword in his hand. Katara shrieked in fear and knelt beside Aang.

"That's what you get, you good-for-nothing air bender!" Zuko said with as much force as possible, making himself seem stronger and more formidable. Aang had misjudged; Prince Zuko had not passed out.

Aang stood up clenching his side. His hands were covered in his blood, but did not look down; he wanted to defeat Prince Zuko once and for all, and knew that seeing himself drenched in his own blood would not help. Katara placed a hand on his side.

"You'll never be as brave or strong as Aang, Zuko! Do you think slashing your opponent while he is running away is honorable?" Katara asked, her question making Zuko contemplate it. While he stared at her, eyes burning with an inner fire, Katara healed Aangs' wound with her powers.

"No!" Zuko screamed angrilyas Aang jumped in the air, smashing Zuko's face into the ground.

"This will be the last time you ever chase me!" Aang said, his voice deep and serious.

"Of course it will be. I'll catch you, and I'll never have to chase you again!" Zuko said, his fire beginning to burn brighter and bigger than before; his anger was increasing.

While Aang fought with Zuko, Katara took her chance. Bringing up a gargantuan wave from the ocean, she flooded the ship's deck, taking out all of the men that had captured her not long before. It was now her chance to head down and save her people. With the clanging of a metal door, she was gone into the lower level.

"Give up now, Avatar! Even if your girlfriend saves her people, you won't make it out alive!"

Aang dodged more fire-balls. He saw Katara leave out of the corner of his eye, and decided to keep Zuko busy; orbetter yet, defeat him. Aang pulled out his flying contraption and soared above Prince Zuko.

"I'm not giving up, not now, not ever!" Aang shouted from above. Below he saw Appa, who was still holding a knocked out Sokka. He still hadn't woken up yet, and Aang was happy.

_At least he won't be included in this...of course..Katara..._

While Aang was distracted, he flew low enough for Zuko to reach him. Another raging fire-fist of fury flew past Aang's head, grazing his ear and causing him to yell out in pain. Zuko laughed.

"It's not so pleasant, is it? That's how it felt when my father burned my face; only it was ten times worse." Zuko said, his face changing. Aang could not place a finger on it, but it was more of pain and sadness than anger. But it was only for a moment. His face went back to the way it was.

"But once I get you, my father will be pleased with me again!"

"What makes you think that? Just because you bring me to him and allow him to torture me you think it will make you acceptable in his eyes?"

Aang stopped flying. It was now a personal conversation between he and Zuko. Aang never really had a father, except for the monk, who was killed by the fire nation. All he could do was convince Zuko to allow him to go free, and hopefully Zuko would get something out of it too.

"Yes, yes that's what is going to happen. He told me so," Zuko replied, his face twisting with anger as the air bender slashed at his father.

"If he truly wanted you back, he would have taken you back long ago," Aang said, still hovering high enough for the prince to have no fire contact with him. Prince Zuko stopped in his tracks, and his fire fists disappeared.

For the second time Zuko had heard this; and from two different people. They were not people who he would want to listen to, but could it be true if everyone but him was thinking it? He shook his head.

"No...NO! He wants me back!"

* * *

Katara finally made her way down the hall with ease as there were no more fire navy soldiers popping out around every corner. As she came to the end, she heard voices; the voices of her tribe. She sprinted down to the end of the hall, where a faint light flooded through a high window in a door.

"Gran-gran? Everyone? Are you all in there?" She called out, listening for one of them to respond.

"I'm here, child. Are you alright?"

It was Gran-Gran, and she sounded okay. The other villagers replied with their "We're saved!" and "Katara is here!". She smiled to herself and leaned against the door with all of her weight.

"How do you open this door?" Katara asked, struggling with the heavy door.

"You have to get the key. It's around Zuko's neck," Gran-gran said through the door. Katara sighed with frustration.

"There has to be another way!"

"There is no other way child! We've listened to the fire navy soldiers. This room is proofed from anything; including fire. Only Zuko can open this door, and he has the key."

Katara,sighing,said, "Okay, I will go and get the key." With that, she ran back down the hallway and headed for the upper deck.

When she opened the door, what she saw was not pretty: Most of the walls had huge holes in them, large enough for her to sit in. The captain's room was on fire, and Zuko and Aang stood in the middle, growling at eachother and circling around like a pair of fighting wolves. Aang's lip was bloodied, but that was the extent of his damage. Zuko was a lot worse.

"Katara! Did you save them?" Aang asked inquisitively, his eyes never leaving Zuko's. Zuko growled in response to this.

"I did find them, but I cannot get them out," She said rather meekly. Zuko, again, laughed.

"That's because only _I_ can get them out," He said with pride, holding his head high. Aang clenched his fists.

"No..Aang. Don't." Katara walked over to him and put an arm around him, staring at Zuko.

"He has a key," Katara said to Aang. Turning her head to Zuko, she said, "And we want it, now." He scoffed at them airily.

"You actually think I will hand it over to you?"

Aang became enraged and hit him. Hard. Zuko went flying backwards and encouraged the dent that was already on the wall to become bigger. His head hung low; this time he was actually out. Aang released his tension and looked to Katara, who smiled.

"You did good, Aang," She said, hugging him. With a sigh of relief he hugged her back.

As his face cradled her neck, he caught wind of her scent. It smelt like that of flowers, and it took his breath away. For the first time in a while, he felt at ease as he held her in his arms. He gently let go of her with reluctance and looked towards Zuko.

"We need to get the key."

Once they had the key from Zuko, they ran back down the hallway in the lower deck. They finally reached the end where the light flooded through the high window, and they unlocked it with no problem at all.Gran-Gran was the first to step out.

"Thank you for saving us," She said, bowing towards the two children. They bowed back, but hurriedly.

"We have to hurry, otherwise Prince Zuko might wake up."

They ran past all of the doors, now empty and fire bender-less. Once they reached the top, they pushed the metal door open, it hitting the wall behind it. They all gasped.

Standing before them was Zuko, the wicked smile on his face, his face beaten up and bruised and bloodied. He chucked lowly, proud that he was able to wake up in time before they escaped.

"Go! Now! I'll take him!" Aang said, holding out his arm as if that were the only thing that came between him, Katara and the villagers. Katara shook her head and began to cry uncontrollably.

"You won't take him alone!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. "I won't leave you!"

Aang looked back at her and motioned for Appa, who hovered patiently for them to board onto his back. She hung her head low, the tears continuing to fall. Gran-Gran led her towards the flying bison, and they climbed onto his back. Appa lifted them into the air, a good distance away from the ship.

"They might have escaped, but you won't! Even if it means I have to kill you myself! Father might be even more pleased that not only did we set the trap, but you took the bait, and you were captured and killed!" Zuko became more and more pleased with himself ever minute, making Aang sick that he thought this way. Air began to flow between his arms and legs.

"You make me sick. Not only did you put innocent villagers in harms way to get me, but you also put Sokka and Katara's lives in danger too! And just to _attempt_ to capture me. I bet you didn't even come up with this plan on your own." Aang retorted, his finger pointing strait into Zuko's face.

"Of course he didn't," A familiar voice came from behind Prince Zuko, causing his eyes to widen with fear and shock.

"Commander...Zhao?" Aang said, taking a small step back.

"Yes. I captured the villagers while you were fighting Zuko in the earth kingdom. Me and Zuko are partners, you see. And we both want you captured: dead, or alive." Commander Zhao said, a smile just as sinister as Zuko's was now on his face. Aang growled.

But before he could react,a noise erupted to the left of them. When they turned their heads, the fire from the captain's room had apparently reached a boiler, and it exploded, sending off a chain of reactions. Fire billowed into the air as it consumed both Zuko's and Zhao's ships, and no sign of Aang, Zhao, or Zuko was to be found.

Katara searched and searched, but did not see Aang emerge from anywhere. Only the flames escaped into the sky.

With a forceful scream of loss and dispair, she cried.

"Oh my god...no! AANG!"

* * *

Whoa...a shocking ending to the chapter, no? I hope I left you on the edge of your seat! If I didn't well...I'll go and hit myself. It is actually a page or so shorter than my other chapters, but I guess that'll be okay with you guys since ya'll don't wanna read the battles, you wanna get to the fluff stuff!

But...that's how I do. Battle, and then fluff comes later. I think I gave you enough in the previous chapters to last you though. I promise you this time that I will have the next chapter up very very soon...since I foundeverything. Haha.

Please review and tell me what you think! I love them so much!

Deadly Silent


	7. Hero

Wow guys..these reviews are great! They keep me writing. I'm actually inspired to write this fic. I don't know how much longer it will be though. This may be the last chapter. ..; Which will be sad, but..at least it was well liked.

Please read and review! Enjoy the 7th chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor will I ever own, Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**TRIUMPH OVER TWO**

Chapter 7: Hero

_Previously:_

_Katara searched and searched, but did not see Aang emerge from anywhere. Only the flames escaped into the sky._

_With a forceful scream of loss and despair, she cried._

"_No! AANG!"_

* * *

Katara cupped her face in her hands. There was no sign of Aang, and no sign of their enemies. If fire benders could not survive fire, how could Aang? The tears slowly leaked through her delicate fingers as she cried, not even noticing that Sokka had woken up.

"Wha..what happened?" Sokka asked groggily as he shook his head to wake up, his facial color returning back to normal. When he saw Katara crying, his features went from lost to worried.

"Katara...Katara, are you okay?"

Gran-Gran placed a hand on his shoulder. "Aang..is gone."

He looked at them all with disbelief. In his head the words were resounding, but could not bring himself to believe the words that he refused to hear. He lowered his head.

"Are you sure? Did you check?" He asked, voice quiet and soft. Smoke billowed towards the heavens, giving the sky a dusty gray look. Gran-Gran shook her head remorsefully.

"We need Katara to douse the fire with water," She said, looking at her weeping granddaughter with sad eyes. Katara looked up, eyes brimming with tears. She looked each one of them in the face, observing that they, too, were at a loss for words and had tears streaming down their face.

With heavy steps she peered over the edge of Appa. The water lapped up against the burning ships, but none reached high enough to put the fire out. Sighing, she lifted her hands.

"Appa, get closer," Katara demanded, her eyes not leaving the boats below. Sokka grabbed the reins and steered the bison closer to the flaming ships. Katara lifted her arms higher, and with one swift movement shoved a wall of water over them, putting the fire out completely.

Steam rose from the charred decks, holes scattered in different places. For all they knew, Aang fell in a hole and burnt to death, but they wanted to be hopeful.

Katara jumped from Appa and onto Zuko's ship, careful to not fall into a hole or cause one. There was no sign of life; the men she had knocked out earlier were burnt and dead against the wall she had left them. Out of them there was not any one that looked like Aang.

_I hope he doesn't look like that,_ Katara thought, her eyes welling up with tears once again at the thought of losing the one she dearly loved.

Sokka joined her on the ship and began to search, hoping that Aang was still alive. They looked into every room on the boat and still no sign of another body other than the ones on the wall. Katara slumped her shoulders. She suddenly felt helpless again, just as she did when Aang told her that it was his fate to bring peace.

"It was not your fate to _die_, Aang! _Not your fate_!" She screamed, fisting a nearby door. As she looked up, the tears falling from her eyes blended with the rain that had begun to fall. The world as she knew it was gone; she felt alone. Sokka placed a loving arm around her.

"It won't do to get angry, Katara." For what seemed the first time, Sokka was serious, but he was also right. Katara sighed and looked towards the door that she had hit earlier, a fairly good-sized dent left in the middle of it.

Just as she was about to fall down and cry, someone from behind her called out her name. "Katara!"

She whirled around, hoping that it was Aang, calling out her name; calling her to him. But when she saw it was one of her tribesmen, her face grew dim. Yet curiosity grabbed her; for he was pointing in the water down below Appa in a rapid motion.

"Look Katara!" He said, pointing again with more force.

She ran to the edge of the boat and looked into the water.

There Aang was, face down on a scrap of metal that was afloat in the water. How it was floating was a mystery to her, but she did not care. The fact was that they found Aang, and he was whole. With a swift movement she was in the water beside him, motioning for Appa to draw nearer so she could hoist him up.

_Aang...please be okay..please please be okay._

His body finally on the bottom of Appa's saddle, everyone gathered around to survey his injuries, and they did not look too good. Katara sat beside him and looked him over, tears trickling down the contours of her face.

His arms were burnt, and he was completely shirtless. On his chest there were two gashes; from what she thought might have been the metal. Somehow he managed to not burn his feet, but his legs were pretty badly bruised, and his forehead had a cut that crossed over his left eye, and his lips were swollen and red.

With a small cry, she held his hand gently and and looked at his face. It seemed as though he was sleeping; his breathing was even. Gran-Gran knelt beside Aang opposite of Katara and looked at her sadly.

"We should take him to the earth kingdom. It is not too far from here. He will get good medical attention there," She said softly, observing Aang's condition. Shaking her head, she stood up. Katara took that as a "Let's go, he needs attention now."

Katara stood up immediately after her grandmother and looked out over the perfect horizon that laid out before her. It saddened her, because this would have been a wonderful afternoon.

_I could have shared that sunset with you, Aang._ She thought remorsefully, looking at him once again as he lay there peacefully.

She thought of all the times that he stood up for what was right, and always triumphed almost unscathed. Not today. Now she is sitting by his side, hoping that he will live through this. His burns had to have been painful, yet he had a complacent look on his childish face.

"You are so strong, Aang," She whispered as she touched the top of his head with care.

Soon the Earth Kingdom was in sight, and a small village lay right at the edge of the ocean that they had been forever traveling over recently. Katara sighed with relief as she saw the land, craving to touch a ground that did not move beneath her.

Suddenly Aang turned his head and groaned painfully. Katara shot her gaze down at him, worried about his condition.

"Gran-Gran, we need to hurry," Katara warned as she looked him over once again, his face twisted with pain. Tears filled her eyes once again. He was hurting.

"We're landing right now, Katara."

Soon, Appa's six feet landed on the sand. Katara picked up her friend with as great a gentleness as she would a young child, and handed him down to Sokka. His eyes were clouded with worry.

"I hope he makes it through this," He muttered as he turned on his heels and headed for the village.

"He's quite the hero." Katara stated before she jumped off of Appa's back, following her brothers' footsteps in the sand. It would be enjoyable to make her foot fit into Sokka's footprints like she used to do when she was young, but today was not the day.

_What I would give to have you walking beside me, Aang._

Sokka stood in front a nearby house, which Gran-Gran had given him directions to. It was small and quaint, a small sign creaking back and forth in the wind with the word "Doctor" on it. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door and waited. In that time Katara found her way to his side.

"Is he home?" She asked, her eyes catching glimpses of Aang's limp body as she looked from the door to her brother. He shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe there's another doctor, and we have the wrong one."

Just as he was about to turn around, he heard the door open. Standing inside the door was a squatty little man, eyes as dark as the night, and a toothy smile that made him seem like a beaver.

"Come in, come in! I'm a little slow nowadays, so it is hard to get to the door," He ushered them in and shut the door loudly.

Sokka and Katara looked around in curiosity as little gizmos and trinkets made whirring sounds and trickled water from one tube to another, little coils wrapped around wooden pipes and cups filling with an unfamiliar liquid. It smelled like medicine. Sokka coughed.

"Oh, are you sick, dear boy?" The man asked as he hovered over a concoction that was steaming and boiling in a small cup. Sokka shook his head.

"No...it's my friend."

The man whirled around to see Aang in his arms, his body in bad condition. His eyes widened with shock and began to look around wildly, muttering something about "stupid fire benders, this is the tenth man this week."

Katara watched as he scuttled around, arranging a bed with fresh white linens and placing a small table beside it. He took three chairs and placed it around the bed, giving enough space between two of them so they could place Aang on the bed. He sighed and sat down with a grunt, motioning for them to come over.

"Katara, you take that chair," Sokka looked at the chair nearest to Aang's bed. She nodded and sat uncomfortably, waiting for the doctor to speak. Sokka finally sat down.

The doctor twiddled his fingers for a moment before speaking. "This...this is a lucky case –"

"Lucky? You call that lucky?" Katara was now out of her seat, her fists clenched tightly. The doctor waved a hand in dismissal of her outburst.

"In other words," He cleared his throat and looked at Katara, who sat back down, "He's better off than the others that have been carried into this house."

Sokka looked from Aang to the doctor in bewilderment. The doctor took this as a sign to continue his explanation.

"You see, when the fire nation attacked them, it was out of enjoyment. And I'm hoping you know this," He looked at both of them before continuing. "But they hurt them to the point to where they either died...or they were severely injured and can't move certain body parts."

Katara's eyes grew big with fear. Men died in this room, on that bed; the bed that Aang now lay on. Tears came freely now as she looked at him, the doctor remaining silent throughout her small episode.

"Aang...he won't die, will he?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"No, dear girl. He will not die. Like I said, he's the best looking one that we've had." The corners of her mouth pulled a smile, but then frowned again. He stood up and looked at Aang.

"He will be fine in a few days. The burns may not heal for another week or two, but he will be able to talk and move in a short amount of time." He said assuredly, patting her shoulder before he headed over to a basin filled with cold water.

Sokka took Katara's arm. "Come on, let's leave for a while. We'll come back later and visit, okay?" Katara nodded absent mindedly and followed Sokka out the door, and right into Gran-Gran.

"Well, how is he?" Her voice quivered as she looked at them apprehensively. Sokka smiled slightly.

"The doctor said he will be able to move and talk within a couple of days. Says it's the best looking person to have come into his house," Sokka replied, thumbing to the house behind him. Gran-Gran sighed with relief and entered the house, the rest following after.

Katara wanted to go after them, to stay by Aangs' side, to tell him that it would be okay. But she knew there was no reason for that now. A couple of days and she could, but all there was to do now was wait and hope.

> > > > 

"Katara, come on!"

It had been three days since she had last seen Aang, and glimpses of his face flashed before her eyes. His burns, cuts, and bruises stood out rather vividly each time.And besides that, Aang was able to have visitors, and she was afraid to go in. What if he got worse? What if the comforting words of Gran-Gran were lies? With great reluctance she walked into the room, which was full of people.

"Come on sis, I'll get you to the front." Sokka said, taking her arm and shoving through the crowd with much needed force.

_Aang..._

When she saw him, sitting up in bed and a smile on his face, she could not have been happier. All of the anticipation was gone, and all of her weights had been lifted off of her chest. With a sigh of relief and a laugh, she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Oh Aang! I thought you weren't going to make it!" She cried; not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. Aang was alive and rather well, considering his still healing burns.

"Ow!" Was his reply when she squeezed him too tight. She let go and turned red, muttering a "Sorry" under her breath. He shook his head and smiled.

"It's okay, really. I'm glad to see you too."

When Sokka saw that the two would need some time alone, he began to shove people out the door vigorously. "Okay guys, lets' go, lets' go! Nothing to see here! Aang's fine and it's all good, so leave!" Even the doctor himself was ushered out of his own house to leave them alone.

Aang cleared his throat, and Katara, in response looked down and blushed a bright red. She was alone with him now.

"So..um.." He stuttered, trying to find something to say to ease the moment.

"Yeah, um...they found Zuko, Zhao, and their men...they're all dead, and the rest of the fire nation surrendered to a water tribe yesterday," She said, rather quietly. Katara, for once, was having a hard time finding something to say to him.

"Well, that's really good...um...I hope you've been okay," He said, looking up from his sheets and staring at the top of her head. When she looked up, she came to meet his beautiful blue eyes, sparkling with life and vigor. Suppressing a blush, she looked in another direction.

"Yeah, I've been really good...besides the fact I was worried about you." Katara replied, looking back at him. He smiled and motioned for her to scoot closer to him. She did as he asked and was now mere inches from him.

"I was worried about you, too." Aang whispered, fiddling with his hands. Katara looked at him, awe-struck.

"Why? You were the one injured and –" He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. Then again, if he had asked she would have silenced herself. Katara could feel her face burning.

"I know, but when Sokka told me about you crying...and always looking distraught, I couldn't help but worry about you." Katara smiled. This was the Aang she knew and loved.

_Wait...I never told him that I loved him...and I have my chance._

_But if I tell him it could hurt our friendship! What if he doesn't like me like that!_

_Of course he does! Can't you tell?_

_No! That's why I'm fighting with myself!_

Aang gave her a worried look and waved his hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. "You okay?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded.

"I'm fine..just..thinking."

"About what?" He asked.

_Here's your chance, girl, don't blow it!_

_I KNOW, I KNOW! Geez, piss off will you?_

"About..." She inhaled deeply, "..us."

Aang's face looked confused, and he had every right to be. He had just been able to have visitors, and here she is, sitting beside him, wanting to talk about them. With a sigh she looked deeply into his eyes, waiting for a response.

"Us?" Was the only answer she got, and grunted with frustration.

_Why couldn't he have asked me something a little more complicated other than 'Us'?_

"Yes, Aang, us."

"What about us?" He asked.

_He doesn't know! It's not obvious to him? If he felt the same way, wouldn't he be at least _somewhat_ tuned in?_

The tears began to fill her eyes as she looked at him, his brown eyes still filled with confusion. He did not understand what she was talking about, and she felt hurt. How could he not get what 'us' meant? With a sob she ran out of the door, leaving Aang to stare after her.

"Us...us?...what was she...oh no." He suddenly realized what she meant. Katara was trying to talk about them and their relationship, but it was too late now. She was out the door and gone.

He jumped up and put on his clothes, or what was left of it, which consisted of his pants. With gritted teeth Aang shot out of the house and headed towards where he thought Katara would be; the ocean.

_How could he not understand what I meant? Does he truly not have feelings for me like I thought he did? But Gran-Gran knew..._

She kicked a rock into the shallow water as she gazed out into the endless body of water. They had traveled so many times over that ocean. With frustration she sat down in the warm sand and buried her head in her arms.

"I love you, Aang. I love you, I love you, I love you. Why can't you see that?" She said aloud to herself, knowing that she was far enough away from civilization to where no one could hear her.

"Well, I know I definitely heard it."

She shot her head up and looked to where the voice was coming from. A smirking Aang was walking towards her, each step cringing from the pain of his burns. Forgetting momentarily that he heard her, she stood up and helped him to sit down.

When she realized that he heard her, she turned away and turned a deep crimson. Aang chuckled slightly.

"I didn't think you would hear me," She whispered.

"Is..Is that what you wanted to tell me?" He asked, his voice faltering a bit as he thought of Katara actually loving him as more than just a friend. Katara nodded, and he smiled.

"Well, I'm glad." He responded. Katara looked back at him, confused. "Glad about what?"

"Glad that..." He stopped to think of how to word it, then continued, "...that I heard you. Glad that you love me. And..."

She looked at him apprehensively.

"I'm glad that...that I love you back," Aang finished, giving cause for her eyes to widen with shock.

"You...you love me back?" She asked as if afraid to ask. As if it was just a dream. But he simply nodded and smirked.

"Ever since I first opened my eyes and saw you looking down at me." Aang said, coming closer and closer to her face. She could now feel the heat of his breath on her lips, and she shivered, but she smirked back anyway.

"What a coincidence," She whispered in a sultry voice, her brown eyes locking with his baby-blue ones.

"I love you, Katara." Aang whispered, his mouth still lingering over hers. In response to this, she closed the gap between them and gave them the relief they needed. Katara was finally able to tell him, and he loved her back. When they reluctantly pulled away, Katara placed her arms around Aang's neck.

"You're a hero, Aang."

"Really?" He asked, brushing his lips with hers again before she responded.

"Yeah. You triumphed over Zuko...and...you triumphed over my heart."

* * *

Well, that's all guys! I hope you enjoyed reading my story! You guys kept me going through this whole story, even though there was a large gap between chapters 5 and 6. XD.

But thank you all so much, and I apologize for the shortness of it all...but I've been working on other stories..and I just felt the need to finish this one seeing as it had been drawn out anyway due to my retardedness. XP

I'm sorry! But please...please!

REVIEW!

REVIEW!

It makes me happy to get reviews! Thanks again for reading!

>Deadly Silent >


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